PIN number security
Posted by Thomas Halwax
on Nov 27, 2012
Is your PIN (personal identification number) really protective? Not if you picked it using common practices aimed at making it easy to remember.
- Never use your birthdate as a PIN.
- The 10 PINs that cellphone thieves love: 1234, 0000, 2580 (a top-to-bottom key pad sequence), 1111, 5555, 5683 (which spells 'love'), 0522 (bottom-to-top keypad), 2222, 1212, 1998.
- Never use your birth year.
- Never use the last 4 digits of your SS#.
- Not your phone number, birthdate of a child, or grandchild.
- Never the street number of your home.
So, what should you use??
- The one assigned by your bank is typically pretty secure.
- Sequences from a childhood phone number or an unused company ID are good.
- Try a frequently used partial phone number, like a pizza shop you use.
- The date of one of your momentous events in your childhood history, favorite holiday (1031) halloween.
- You could base it on a 'word' from a common phrase you use, 9224 "you are an idiot".
- 4 digit pins are standard, but use more if you can.
Once you choose a good PIN, never carry a reminder in your wallet. At the ATM, cover your hand when typing to shield your PIN from prying eyes or scammer-installed hidden cameras.
Sid Kirchheimer, Scam Proof your Life, published by AARP books.